Not for the first time, Dolly Parton is here to make it better. The 65-year-old country music superstar, actor and amusement park mogul's latest album, "Better Day" - her 41st studio recording - is a salve for these sour times, full of uplifting tunes and honest Smoky Mountains shenanigans. Parton appears next Sunday at Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord She spoke to us from tour rehearsals in Nashville.

Q:This album is so upbeat. Did you make it for the kids who discovered you as Aunt Dolly on "Hannah Montana"?

A: No, I don't think it sounds like that. I did want it to be uplifting. We've all been down a bit with the economy and war and earthquakes and hurricanes and all that. I wanted to keep it upbeat. I wanted to do a record that lifted everybody up a bit.

Q:Some of these songs sound as if they might require a bit of movement. Are we going to see you dancing on this tour?

A: Actually, I don't do a lot of dancing. I do a little more choreography than I've done in the past, but I wasn't a born dancer by any means.

Q:You were having back and voice problems a few years ago. Why keep touring?

A: I don't want to sit around my house. When I hurt my lower back, I just pulled a muscle. It had nothing to do with my boobs like the tabloids said. And you can't be in this business and not have a little bout of hoarseness. I never want to retire. I'm in good shape. My fans want me to do it. My mind wants to do it. I love being active. I have a lot of people who want to see me, and I want to see them, too.

Q:People outside of Nashville started to take you seriously after the White Stripes covered "Jolene." Why did it take so long?

A: I know I'm a lot to take in. A lot of people think I'm a comedian. They think I'm about boobs and hair - those are the horny ones. But there are also the people who know how I always take my singing and songwriting seriously. I've been around so long I feel like a family member to people. I'm very blessed to have my blue-haired fans and the ones in between and now I have the little ones. I'm hoping I'm around forever.

Q:Do you have any pointers for the drag queens coming to the concert?

A: There are just two things they've got to have - big tits and big wigs. The looks of them, they need to saw their legs off because they're always 3 feet higher than I am. They're all tall boys, and when they wear the heels they look like they're 8 feet tall. But I love it. I expect to have my drag queens in the front row in San Francisco. We're going to have fun. {sbox}